1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable radio communication equipment and, more particularly to a portable radio communication apparatus having a key operation portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional portable radio communication apparatus such as portable telephone equipment, a key operation portion from which the telephone number, etc. are input is provided on the surface of a lower housing. When an upper housing has been folded, the lower housing is covered by this upper housing. Also, the key operation portion is so disposed as not to protrude from the surface of the lower housing so that in a state where the upper housing has been folded no space may exist at a surface of contact between the upper and lower housings.
Since the key operation portion is difficult to operate unless this key operation portion protrudes from the surface of the housing, it is considered in view of the operating efficiency to provide a counterbore at around the key operation portion.
Another conventional portable radio telephone apparatus has been disclosed in Japanese Utility-model Unexamined Publication No. 3-105048. According to this conventional apparatus, in a state where an upper housing has been folded, some space exist at a surface of contact between the upper and lower housings so that the key operation portion is so disposed as to protrude from the surface of the lower housing.
However, portable telephone equipment tends to decrease in size year by year and so the key operation portion also becomes small in size. For this reason, mere provision of such counterbore results in making the key operation portion difficult to operate. Further, the space between the upper and lower housings increases the size of the telephone apparatus when it is folded.